CHAPTER VI.

Nawabgunge, midway between Cawnpoor and Lucknow—­Oosur soils how produced—­Visit from the prime minister—­Rambuksh, of Dhodeeakhera—­ Hunmunt Sing, of Dharoopoor—­Agricultural capitalists—­Sipahees and native offices of our army—­Their furlough, and petitions—­ Requirements of Oude to secure good government.  The King’s reserved treasury—­Charity distributed through the Mojtahid, or chief justice—­Infanticide—­Loan of elephants, horses, and draft bullocks by Oude to Lord Lake in 1804—­Clothing for the troops—­The Akbery regiment—­Its clothing, &c.,—­Trespasses of a great man’s camp in Oude—­Russoolabad and Sufeepoor districts—­Buksh Allee, the dome—­ Budreenath, the contractor for Sufeepoor—­Meeangunge—­Division of the Oude Territory in 1801, in equal shares between Oude and the British Governments—­Almas Allee Khan—­His good government—­The passes of Oude—­Thieves by hereditary profession, and village watchmen—­ Rapacity of the King’s troops—­Total absence of all sympathy between the governing and governed—­Measures necessary to render the Oude troops efficient and less mischievous to the people—­Sheikh Hushmut Allee, of Sundeela.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH of MAJOR-GENERAL SIR W. H. SLEEMAN.  K.C.B.

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This distinguished officer, whose career in India extended over a period of forty years, and whose services were highly appreciated by three Governors-General—­Viscount Hardinge, the Earl of Ellenborough, and the Marquess of Dalhousie—­evinced by their appointing him to the most difficult and delicate duties—­was the son of Philip and Mary Sleeman, and was born at Stratton, Cornwall, 8th August, 1788.  In early years he evinced a predilection for the military profession; and at the age of twenty-one (October, 1809), through the good offices of the late Lord De Dunstanville, he was appointed an Infantry Cadet in the Bengal army.  Thither he proceeded as soon as possible, and was promoted successively to the rank of Ensign, 23rd September, 1810; Lieutenant, 16th December, 1814; Brevet-Captain, 24th April, 1824; Captain, 23rd September, 1826; Major, 1st February, 1837; Lieutenant-Colonel, 26th May, 1843; Colonel, 24th November, 1853; and obtained the rank of Major-General 28th November, 1854.

Early in his career he served in the Nepaulese war.  The value of his talents soon became known, and in 1816, when it was considered necessary to investigate a claim to property as prize-money arising out of that war, Lieutenant Sleeman was selected to inquire into it.  The report was accordingly made by him in February 1817, which was designated by the Government as “able, impartial, and satisfactory.”